Improvement in snap-hooks



S. REYNOLDS.

Snap-Hooks.

.No.148'244' Patented March 3.1874.

Attorney/s.

-it is fitted when closed.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL REYNOLDS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PATENT GEETCE.

IMPROVEMENT lN SNAP-HOQKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,244, dated March 3, 1674; application filed Apr-115,187.2.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that I, SAMUEL REYNOLDS, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Snap-Hooks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal section of the snap-hook. Fig'. 2 isa perspective view, and Fig. 3 is a top view, of the same.

rIhis invention has relation to snap -hooks of that construction in which the end of the spring is fitted against the under side of the end ofthe hook, and where, in order to remove the hook from anything to which it may be connected, it is necessary to depress the spring, and thereby open a passage between its end and the end of the hook, against which rIhe invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the parts of the snap-hook, whereby it may be readily cast with a thumb-seat back of the guard or bridge about the base or larger end of the spring, an inclined springscat at the commencement of said thumb-seat for the attachment of the spring to the body of the hook, and a guard-flange or shelf transverely arranged in front of said spring-seat, forming a ioor to the thumb-seat, and serving to prevent the spring from being depressed to such a degree as to cause its fracture or displacement.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the body of the snap-hook, which may be cast in suitable molds, as fully set forth in the specification of my application for a patent for such molds now pending in the United States Patent Oflice.

The snap-hook body consists of two side bars, a a, joined at one end to form the straploop b, and at the extreme of the other end to form the reversed portion c of the beak of the hook, which is slightly recessed at its end d to receive the end of the spring e. At about the middle ofthe body the upper edges of the side bars are connected by a bridge or guard, h, which passes transversely over the spring, forming the front wall of the thumbseat, and serving the double purpose of guarding the thumb from the hook-beak, and preventing the spring from being forcibly bent or pulled outward from its bearing against said beak, or from being laterally displaced. Adjacent to the strap-loop b the lower edges of the side bars are connected by a transverse double-inclined plate portion, 7s. The first part of this plate is recessed centrally and longitudinally to form the scat l, in which the lroot of the spring is securelyattachcd by riveting or otherwise. The oor of this spring -seat is inclined upward and forward in the direction of the end of the beak 0, so that the spring lies in a right-line,or nearly so. Forward of the recess the plate is inclined yforward and downward, forming the door m of the thumb-Seat o, which is bounded laterally by iiaring portions w of the side bars a in rear of the bridge h. In this manner the rear portion of the body is enlarged sufficiently for the reception of the ball of the thumb, which is enabled to bear upon the rear portion of the spring to force its end down, and thus allow the withdrawal from the hook of the ring or other article to which it may be attached.

The door m of the thumb-seat, besides giving strength to the body, serves to prevent the spring from heilig forced down so far as' to displace or fracture it.

By this coi'istruetion a ledge or guard-shelf under the forward end of the spring is dispensed with, and the side bars being thus left with a clear space between, underneath the beak portion c, the casting is facilitated.

Between the plate 7c and the beak c' the side bars a are separated below by a slot, a, which gives lightness to this portion of the body.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

rIhe snap-hook described, consisting of the spring e and the castmetal body A, having side bars a., connected at their ends to form the loop b and recessed portion c of the beak by their upper edges, to form the upper springguard h, and by their lower edges to form the double-inclined spring-seat Z and lower guard m at the root of the spring, substantially as specified. 4

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of vtwo witnesses.

SAMUEL REYNOLDS. Witnesses GEORGE E. UPHAM, PHIL. C. MASI. 

